AI Rivalry Intensifies as Qatar Hosts Web Summit 2025
In the race for dominance in artificial intelligence, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are vying for leadership. Against this backdrop, Web Summit 2025 was held in Qatar with the participation of over 100 investors, 1,500+ startups, and more than 25,000 attendees. The summit, focusing on new ventures, innovation, and digital marketing, took place in Doha from February 23 to 26.
Speaking on AI competition, Ahmad Abushaikha, a participant from Qatar, stated, "Qatar is shifting from fossil fuel-based industries like oil and gas toward a knowledge-based economy. This year's Web Summit will accelerate Qatar’s efforts in fostering startups and innovative thinking."
While several Muslim-majority nations and neighboring countries were present at the summit, Bangladesh’s participation remained notably absent. The annual tech conference welcomed thousands of political, technological, and business leaders from 90 countries, alongside 1,500+ startups and 600+ investors. Guest speakers included Scale AI founder Alexander Wang, TikTok Global Business Solutions President Blake Chandlee, and Hollywood actor Will Smith, among 380 speakers.
Artificial intelligence remained the summit’s central theme. The United States leads AI development through platforms like ChatGPT, Copilot, Llama, and Gemini, while China has demonstrated its capabilities with DeepSeek. In an effort to keep pace, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are competing for AI supremacy in the Middle East, with Qatar aiming to establish its own foothold in the sector.
As part of this initiative, Qatar signed a five-year agreement with Scale AI this week to expand the use of artificial intelligence in government services. The summit also served as a platform for the Qatari government to attract investment by offering free visas, tax exemptions, business licenses, and special funding incentives to new startups.
Web Summit first began in Dublin in 2009 with only 150 attendees. This year marked the beginning of a new chapter for the globally recognized conference.
